The Oil Change: What Happens When You Don't Do It?

When you get behind the wheel of your own car, you know that you have to
get an oil change every three to five thousand miles. Different models
have different recommendations as to when exactly you should get this
service performed, but it is always on some kind of regular basis. Few
car owners question this. After all, the service is fairly cheap, it
doesn't take a long time, and if the manual says it should be done, then
it should be done. But what happens when you don't? Since you probably
don't want to experiment with your own car to find out the
ramifications, here is a look at what can go wrong when you neglect to
follow this time-honored advice.

First, it's important to realize what role motor oil plays in your
engine. The engine is made up of many moving parts. Like any moving
machine, it requires lubrication so friction doesn't fry the whole
thing. An engine wouldn't last long if it didn't have any oil to run on.
Eventually, the heat inside the engine would grow so great that the
parts would actually begin to melt, which would put it beyond the point
of repair. This isn't just theoretical, of course. Many a car owner has
found themselves in this position thanks to an oil change gone wrong or a
leaky pan.

So why not just make sure oil stays in the engine? What good does it do
to take old lubrication out and replace it with new oil? Well, the oil
change serves an extremely important function. Over time, the motor oil
in your car begins to pick up particles. It becomes dirty. When this
happens, what was once a viscous, but very slick fluid becomes something
more akin to sludge. If the filter gets clogged, dirt and particles
accumulate even more quickly. This will begin to take a toll on your
engine, causing the speed of the pistons to slow and your engine's power
to decrease substantially.

Eventually, an engine filled with sludge will simply stop functioning.
This can happen early on in a car's life if it is not treated to a
regular oil change. Is it necessary to take your car in for a lube job
every 3,000 miles? Maybe, maybe not. Your car isn't going to seize up if
you stretch the time period between lube jobs another thousand miles,
but don't try to make it a year without bringing it into the shop. You
could find yourself facing a nasty surprise.